A Butler County grand jury announced the charges Wednesday morning, and the defendants were arraigned by the afternoon in county Common Pleas Court.
3 p.m. arraignment hearing brought the two defendants out of their Butler County Jail cells.
Walking into the courtroom dressed in jail-issued orange jumpsuits and in handcuffs, Rayas began to cry. Smith kept his expression stoic; he showed some emotion during a brief interaction with a young female, who was crying in the small audience of four in Butler County Common Pleas Court.
Judge Craig Hedric set bond at $1 million for each defendant.
Rayas and Smith will be tried separately, said Brad Burress, assistant county prosecutor, who noted that police said Rayas and Smith have implicated each other.
Rayas’ trial is set for Nov. 1. Smith’s is set for Nov. 15. Both will have a chance to have evidence against them excluded from trial when a pretrial hearing convenes Sept. 23 — Rayas at 1 p.m. and Smith at 2:30 p.m.
Hedric said, “I suggest counsel move efficiently to get any motions filed.”
The pair initially was arrested July 27.
According to police, they went to Baez-Rosa’s home in the 800 block of Ludlow to rob him.
When he refused to give up his wallet, he was beaten with a baseball bat, allegedly wielded by Smith, police said. His roommate, Alejandro Ramirez, came to the door when he heard yelling and also was attacked, police said, though his injuries were minor.
Baez-Rosa was flown to University Hospital in Cincinnati, where he died.
Staff Writer Lauren Pack contributed to this report.
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